Sound-translating machine



Sept. 14, 1943. a A. PROCTCR 2,329,482

v SOUND TRANSLATING MACIJHII IE File d Ma 5, 1942i 2 Shets-Sheet-l INVENTOR. Bar/0n A. Prado/- AT TORNEYJ Sept. 14, 1943. B. A. PROCTOR SOUND TRANSLATING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m m r WA 1 n m M av M e bk ATTORNEYS Since both guide members were stationary, it was necessary first to insert opposite margins of the records beneath the front s and rear guides while holding the center of the record arched over the center spindle, and then a to press the center of the'record down onto the:

center spindle.

In accordance with the present invention the guide member at the front of the machineis hingedly mounted upon the machine frame so thatit can be swung away from the arched support to make the arched support fully accessible at the'front of the machine. With this arrangement the hinged guide member may be swung forwardout of the way,.the record may be thrust around from the front 'overthe center spindle and beneath the rear guide member, and the hinged guide member may then be swung back to operative positionzto press and push the marginal portion of the record at the front of the machine downinto the space between the arched support and the' hinged guide member in the position. of the latter normally'occupied during operation of the machine.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the. drawings forming part of CatiOn. v, v

Fig. 1 is-a view of the machine'in'front elevation, the record being shown 'in,place but sectioned so as not to affect the". illustration of the machine parts; I

Fig. 2 is .afragmentary, longitudinal sectional view through a portion :-of the arched support, showingthe surface configuration thereof;

Fig. 3 is an idealized or'suggestive sectional Fig. 4 is an end view in elevation of the machine of Fig. 1 looking at; themachine from the lefthand end; and j 1 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, detail view showing a modified form of the arched support. H

The machine is generally thesame in construction and principle of operation as-the machine of Serial No. 281,811; to which reference may be had for a more completedisclosure of details of the operating mechanism V a -Briefiy,. the machine comprises shame or housing I inwhichis mounted a record carriage (not shown). A center spindle 2;supported on the carriage, extends upward and constitutes a means for supporting the center of arecord 3 and for defining an axis of rotation for the recrd. The center'spindle is rotated by the record itself, and serves through its rotation to drive a feed screw (not shown) by means of which the center spindle is caused to travel from right to left, Fig. 1, as the recording or reproducing proceeds. I

The record is driven by upper andlower feed wheels 4 and which directly engage oppositefaces of therecord. Recordingand reproducing this specifiviewof the record showing in-a general way the shape which the record tends to assume as the recording proceeds, the deformation of the record being considerably exaggerated, and shown as. much more regular than itis in actual practice;-

styli 6 and I are adapted to be brought alternatively into effective, record engaging position opposite a freely rotatable, record engaging platen wheel 8.

Operation of a control handle 9 to its extreme ri ht-hand position against a stop [0 as shown in Fig. 1 makes the recordingstylusi as well as extreme left-hand position against a stop II, the

reproducing stylus is made effective and the feed rollers 4 and 5 are also made effective.

An arched, stationary record support i2, desirably of sheet metal, is fixedly mounted on the machine frame I. The lower side walls of the support [2 extend 'vertically but merge through smoothly rounded shoulder portions with a curved top portion of the'support. The top of the support is formed with a slot l3 through which the center-spindle 2 extends, and along the space between the support and the guide member. I V

aA similarguide member I5 is provided at the front 'of the machine, but in'this-instance the guide member-is mounted upon-the frame I The through the medium of a piano hinge I 6.

, guide member "[5 may, be swung forward to the dot and dash line position marked I5a.in Fig. 4,

when it is. desired ,to place a recordin'the Inachine or .to remove a 'record'from the machine. When the guide memberis thus swung forward, the record "maybethrust from the front overthe center spindle 2 and into the space between the support l2 and the guide [4. It may then be impaled upon the center spindle and the forward portion of;-the record may be pressed with'the fingers of one hand; toward or against'the support I2 while the guide member 15 is swungrearward to the full line positionillustrated in Fig. 4. An abutment I! affixed to the arched support !2 limits approach of the guide l5 toward the support, so that the normal guide space at th front of the machineis the same as that at the rear. In the operative or full line position of the guide l5 the guide is urged by gravity toward the support l2. When the guide is swung forward, however, it crosses dead center and isurged by gravity away from the guide l2. Suitable friction means'may desirably be provided for preventing vibration of the guide l5.: The friction may be provided in the hinge IS. The hinge pin may.

for.example, b e of large enough diameter to expand and thereby stress th curled fingers of the hinge leaves by which it is embraced, so that each finger iscaused resiliently to grip the-"hinge pin.

As will be readily seen from an'examination of Figs. 1 and 4, the arched support is of uniform width but of varying height. The support; is of greatest height midway ofits length, and is of progressively diminishing height from the middle toward the ends. Even the highest portion, howr ever, is below the level at'which the center of the record is supported by the center spindle. Be-

cause i this c mmonsense total mann r pressure "Of the record against the support I 2" is greatly reduced so that excessive andunriecessary friction' is eliminated. f'I 'h'is reduces rub bingorscraping noise in the operation of the and greatly reduces thelikelihood-of the record. pressing against the top of the supportin such manneras to lift the" center of the record relativetofthe center spind e; when arecor dfis put in place it is held loosely wrapp'ed'part way around the arched support. 4 When thus bent and meat with the lower' face or. the: record, a stylus engage'able withtliwupper'aface of the recordin dppbsitionil to the platen'wheel, means for rotat machine, reduces wear upon the arched support, I v

then rotated it develops 'the saucer shape prev'i--,

ously referred toi This 7 istrue whether th recordedface bepl-aced downward or upward, and

whether one face or both faces jare recorded up on, Thy-downward sloping-- ofthe top of the arched-'supportjfrom the middle toward the endsis" a very effectiyemeans of overcomingthe adverse effects of thisisaucer shapepof the record.

If a recorded record -is placed upon themachine for reproducing, the reproducing, of course, starts linthe center If'the arched support were perfectly flat along thetop, and 'inalignment with the upper'surface or the record supporting flange of the centerspindla'dilliculty would be expert enced in keeping the" center section securely ingtheJ'ecorm-and means-for relatively shifting theaxi's defining means on thefone' hand and ..-the"stylus and" platen wheelon the other as the sound translating progresses; and a stationary arched support'for the'record characterized-by the "fa-ct that lt is -hijghestmidway of its length and has its-top "downward toward the 2.The improvement in a sound translating machine-which includes means for supporting a thin, distortable, freely 'flexible discrecord' at the center thereof anddeflningan axis of rotation therefor, a platen wheel running in engagement with-the lower faceof there'cord, a stylus engageable with the upper face of'the record in opposition "to the piaten wheel, means'forrotating the record, and means/for relatively shifting the axisdeflni-ng means on the one hand andthe stylus and platenwheel om t-he other as-the sound" translating progresses, and" a stationary arched lockedto the spindle There-[would be a tendenoy for th'e'cente'r section to rise,' becaus'e the edges of the record would pressagain'st the topof the arched support 'and-tend to liftthe center of the record. In the thin; singlefaced-record this wouldcause a wrinklingofthe-.material over a large area of the center portion. In some cases this wrinkling would-be sufficient to cause the reproducer stylus to jump a groove. 7 As the record carriage moves upwardly or toward the left,

the edge of the record slides over the end of the machine, and as the record approaches the limit of its travel, this free extension dips slightly and I The effect of relieves the tendency to wrinkle.

support for the record characterized by the fact that it isof uniformwidth but of varying height and has its top of greatest height midway of its lengthy'and of progressively diminishing height fromthe fniddletowardtheends';

35'I'himprovement "in a sound translating I machine which includesmean's for'supporting a thin, distortable, freelyflexible disc record at the center thereofand-deflning an axis of rotation therefor, s platen wheel running in engagement wlth'the loweh'facdofthe record, a stylus en'- the hump at the middle of the arched support, v

therefore, is to relieve this pressureuntil sufiicient area of the disc is beyond the edge of the machine to avoid thedevelopment of any lifting pressure against the marginof the record.

The arched support I! is not formed with a plane or even surface, but is formed with a; series of spaced parallel ribs l8 which project outward from the general upper and outer contour sur-' face of the support. The record is thus caused to have contact with the ribs, but to be spaced generally from the intervening areas of the support I2. This avoids the development of any suction effect between the record and support, and serves to reduce the friction effect.

In Fig. 5 the arched support l2a is shown as provided with a series of projecting elements or knobs l9 in place of the ribs I 8. Theseprojecting elements serve the same function as the ribs l8;

. In all other respects the arched support 12a is the same as the arched support 12 of Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, and is adapted to be used in place ofthelatter.

I I have described What Ibelieve to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish,

however, to be confined to the embodiments" gageable' with the upper face"of-the record opposition to the platen Wheel, means for-rotating-the record, and means for relatively shifting the-axis defining meanson the one hand and the stylus and platen wheel on the other as the sound translating progresses, and a stationary arched support for the record characterized by the fact that it is formed with a multiplicity of spaced raised elements which project beyond the general contour of its upper or outer face for contactwith the record.

4. The improvement in a sound translating machine which includes means for supporting a 'thin, distortable, freely flexible disc record at the center thereof and defining an axis of rotation therefor, a platen wheel running in engagement with the lower faceof the record, a stylus engageablewith the upper face of the record in opposition to the platen wheel, means for rotating the record, and means for relatively shifting the axis defining means on the one hand and the stylus and platen wheel on the other as the sound translating progresses, and a stationary arched support for the record characterized by the'fact that it is formed with a multiplicity of spaced parallel ridges on its upper or outer face for contact with the record. v 5.-The improvement in a sound translating I machine which includes means for supporting a thin, distortable, freely flexible disc record at-the center thereof and definingan axis of rotation therefor, a platen wheel running in engagement with the lower face of the'record, a stylus engageable with the upper face of the record in oppositionto the platen wheel, means for rotating the record, and means for relativelyshifting the axis defining means on the one hand and the stylus and platen wheel on the other as the sound translating progresses, a frame, a stationary arched support for the record; guide members extending over the-sides and shoulders of the stationary support at the ,frontfiand: back, said guide members being -curvedj in general con,-

formity with the curvature of; the support and spaced substantially from the support, and means for hingedlysupporting the front guide member, from the frameso that the front ofgthe support;

can be made fully accessible; i c 6. The improvementin-Ia sound translating machine which includes meansvfor supporting a thin, distortable, freelyfiexible disc record at the center-thereof and defining an axis of rotation,

therefona platen wheel runningin. engagement with the lower face of the record, a stylus rengageable with the upperface 'of the record in opposition to the platen wheel, means-for rotat-, ing the record, and mea'nsyforrelatively shifta in theaxis defining means on the one hand and the stylus :and platen wheel on the other as the sound translating progresses, a frame, a

stationary arched support forthe record, guide members extending over the sides and shoulders of the stationary support at the front and bacl;,

said guide membersbeing curved in general con f ormity with the curvatureof thesupport and spaced substantially fromthe support, and means for hingedly supporting thefront guide member,

tortable, freely fiexible disc record at the center thereof anddefining an axis of rotation therefor, a: platen wheel running-in engagement with the lower faceof the record, a stylus .engageable with the upper .;face of the record in opposition to the platentwheehmeans for rotating the record, means for relatively shifting the axis defining means on the one hand and the stylus and platen wheel on the other as the sound" translating progresses; and a stationary arched support for the record, saidsupport being of uniform width but of yarying height and-having its top of great? est height midwayof its length-and of progressively diminishing-height from the middle toward theends'; i

8. A sound translating machine comprising, in combination, =means for supporting a thin, distortable, freelyflexible disc record at the center thereof and defining an axis of rotation therefor, a platen wheel running in engagement with thelower face of the record, a stylus engageable with the upper face ofthe record inopposition port-for the record, guide members extending! over-the sides and'shoulders of the stationary support at the front and back, said guide members beingcurved in general conformity with the. curvature of the supportand spaced substan-- tially from'the support, a frame, and means for hingedly supporting the front guide member from the frame so that the front of the support can be made fullyaccessiblef "BARTON A. PRO'CTOR. 

